THE Barry & District News’: ‘Your High Street: Use It Or Lose It’ campaign is now in its third week.

The campaign was launched in September with the aim of raising awareness of the issues affecting the small independent businesses throughout Barry.

Independent traders have, for many years, voiced their views to both politicians and the general public, so this campaign is one in which we hope all parties will want to come together and assist in practically boosting trade so that all benefit.

This week we turn the spotlight on one of our local decision-makers, with the ability to both put forward ideas and act on them. Whether you agree or disagree the aim is to stimulate that debate and establish what people really think.

Today, former MP and AM candidate and Buttrills Vale and Barry Town councillor, Ian Johnson gives his views on issues affecting his town centre ward.

Cllr Johnson said: “As a local resident, living in the streets around Holton Road, it is very important to me that the town centre not just survives, but thrives as a commercial street filled with shops that meet the needs of local people.

“Holton Road is still Barry’s commercial heart – a long street of shops that represent all walks of life from international shops with a store in Barry to charity shops doing good work and independent local traders providing quality services.

“Shopping habits have changed over recent years with more out of town shopping areas and people buying more online, but there are some things that will never change. After all, you can’t get your haircut by a computer or smart phone.”

He added: “The priority for the centre of Barry should be to ensure that all of the main shop units in the centre of Barry are filled. From King Square you can see two units that lie empty and this gives a poor impression of the town centre – never mind the former Windsor pub that has been empty now for the best part of two years.

“The relationship with shop landlords is key. There is no benefit in leaving shop units empty so how can the Vale Council best link landlords with the sort of stores that would bring more people to the centre of Barry?

“The council should carry out a new analysis of the sort of shops that we don’t currently have but would enhance Holton Road, looking to bring them to Barry. They should support pop-up shops in currently empty shops so that young people can see if their business idea could be successful and they should make currently empty shops pretty so they don’t distract from Holton Road’s current vitality as Barry and the Vale’s busiest shopping street.”

‘Your High Street: Use It Or Lose It’ is an ongoing campaign. Politicians, traders, interest groups, and the general public are all invited to express an opinion. Contact the Barry & District News.